The quality of the horse-rider relationship and mental well-being in female equestrian riders: a cross-sectional validation study in Hungary

Introduction The horse-rider relationship is increasingly recognized as a determinant of psychological well-being in equestrian riders, yet validated instruments remain scarce outside English-speaking contexts. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Horse-Rider Relationship Scale (HRRS) and its associations with mental well-being in Hungarian female equestrian riders. Material and methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to 160 female equestrian riders in Hungary. Participants completed the HRRS—measuring compatibility, communication, respect, trust, and self-confidence—and the Sport Mental Health Continuum Short Form. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Pearson correlations were conducted; group differences by horse ownership were also examined. Results The CFA confirmed the five-factor structure with acceptable fit (CFI = .974, TLI = .962, RMSEA = .059, SRMR = .037). Horse ownership was not associated with any HRRS dimension. All five relationship dimensions yielded significant positive correlations with emotional, psychological, and social well-being, with the strongest associations found for self-confidence (r = 0.495) and communication (r = 0.485) with psychological well-being. Conclusions The HRRS demonstrates sound psychometric properties in a Hungarian female equestrian sample. Relationship quality—rather than horse ownership—is associated with greater mental well-being, underscoring the importance of fostering the horse-rider bond in both sport and therapeutic equestrian contexts.